Concrete-block machine.



110.300,200. EATENTED SEPT. 20, 1905.

' W. s. EAEKEE.

CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE.

AIPLIOATION FILED MAY 5, 1905.

Y 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

a M.- MEMW Y f PATENTBD SEPT. 26, 1905.

W. s. .BABKERE GONGRETBBLOGK MACHINE.

PPLIGATION FILED vMAY 5, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. uNlunDy STATES 4lwrtNl OFFICE i wILLIAMs. BARKER, or DAYTON, oHIo. i ooNoRET-BLOQK MACHINE.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. BARKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certainA new and useful Improvements in Concrete-Block Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in concrete-block-building machines.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine withV a greatly-increased capacity for making building-blocks of the above type of various sizes and for tamping the face of the block with the face upward, any desired facesurface being possible.

The machine has the following advantages: A coarser and wetter grouting may be used for the body of the block, and owing to the face of the block being 'tamped a ner material in a somewhat drier conditionA than the grouting may be used to form the face. In other words, the material of the face may possess a sufficient dryness that will prevent it from sticking to the face or tamping plate. The block being only four inches high and six by sixteen inches in the face, the block will stand up upon the pallet in a very wet condition, which is desirable. Because of the face being upward and the tamping thereof being performed by a repetition of impacts, the face of the block becomes very dense and hard. It may be further stated that the capacity of the machine is greatly increased, owing to the simplicity of its operation.

Preceding a detailed description of the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine, showing the tamping face-plate elevated and the front wall of the mold-box broken away. Fig. 2 is aside elevation With the mold-box shown in section and the tamping face-plate elevated. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the moldbox as lshown in Fig. 1, with the tamping faceplate elevated. Fig. 4 is a side sectional view of the mold-box on the line w .fr of Fig. 3 and portions of the guides of the tamping fa'ceplate. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional plan view of the mold-box, showing the same adapted for the making of twobuilding-blocks in Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed May 5, 1905. Serial No. 258,982.

Patented Sept. 26, 1905.

one operation. Fig. 5 is adetail of afeature shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 6 is a detail of a tamping-plate used with features shown in Fig. 5,

showing an end-view of same. Fig. 7 is a de- 60 tail view of means for constructing ventilating-chaunels in the outer surface of the block. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view'- of a core employed in the construction of a hollow block.

Throughout the specification similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts.

1 designates the parts of the framework which support the mold-box 3, in which the concrete blocks are formed. 4 is the movable bottom or pallet of said mold-box, which is centrally supported on a vertically-movable` standard 5, with intervening plate 6. The standard 5 is guided in its movements by means of a suitable collar 7, which is secured to the under side of the mold-box, and at its lower end it is guided by passing through a bar 7 which connects the lower portions of the frame. One side of the standard 5 isy kprovided with a rack 8, which is engaged by a pinion 9 on shaft 10, the latter kbeing operated by a crank 11 to raise and lower the pallet 4. The lower position ofthe pallet is adjusted for different widths of blocks by means of adj usting-screws 12, which penetrate ears 2' and make contact with the under side of the base-plate 6, which lies below and supports the pallet. 14 designates the face or tamping plat which forms the outer or lexposed surface of the block and which may be of any suitable surface, design, or configuration-for example, rock face, stone face, &c. This tamping or face .plate is provided with two apertured lugs 13, through which pass vguide-rods 16, and which are made fast to said rods. These guide-rods are supported at the rear of the mold-box in apertured lugs 17, which project from the rear side of said mold-box, said lugs 17 having secured to their upper ends apertured cones 17 which also receive said guiderods. The rods 16 move in s aid lugs and cones in the operations of tamping. The purpose of these cones 17 is to act as a cap or means for preventing the dirt from entering the apertured bosses 17 ,through which the rods move in the operations of the tamping-plate. The lower ends of said guide-rods are connected with a cross-bar 18 in the form of an angle in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 4, the connections of said guide-rods with said cross-bar be- 'ing by means of screws 18.

Ioo

a central position relatively thereto and cross- Wise thereotl is an apertured cross-piece 19, which receives a bolt 19. The rear end of this bolt is tapered in the form of a latch and lies in a position to engage the cross-bar 18, as shown in Fig. 4, to hold the guide-rods 16. and therewith the tamping face-plate, in an elevated position. The bolt19 is maintained in an engaging position by means of a coilspring 19, and the outer end of said bolt is provided with a linger-piece 19"', by which the bolt is drawn outward to release the crossbar 18 and to permit the guide-rods 16, and therewith the tainping face-plate, to descend to their lower or operative position. In elevating the said guide-rods, and therewith the tamping face-plate, after the operation of tamping each block the cross-bar 18 engages the end of the bolt 19 and pushes said bolt outwardly, after which said bolt engages the lower side of said bar and maintains the tamping-plate in an elevated position in a manner that will be readily understood.

The tamping face-plate 14 is provided with two handles 14, by which the tamping operations are performed, and the position of the face-plate with reference to the depth oi' its movement in the tamping operations within the mold-box is regulated by adjusting-screws 20, which are regulated with reference to the upper ledges 20 of the mold-box.

21 designates an arm fixed to thel rear side of the mold-box by projecting into an apertured lng 21 and iixed therein by means of a set-screw. This arm supports at its upper end a retractile spring 21. This spring is connected to a projection'21 on the upper side of the tamping face-plate 14.

The mold-box 3 has two removable end plates 3', which are used in the construction of ordinary blocks-for example, those blocks which lie between the corners ot' a'structure. As shown in Figs. 5 and 5, said end plates may be provided with grooves 3 on one side. In the event that a single block is made in the mold-box the end plates 3 are placed therein with the grooves 3 on the outside. It may be stated that in the manufacture of two blocks within a single mold a division-plate 3 may be used, as shown in Fig. 5, in which event the end plates 3 are placed with the grooves 3 on the inside to receive the division-plate 3.

By means of the frame shown in Fig. 7 a buildingblock having ventilati ng grooves around its sides in the vmiddle portion thereof may be obtained. This consists of an oblong rectangular frame consisting of side and end pieces 22, which are hinged at 23 at three corners. As shown in the cross sectional view, the side and end pieces are oval, the rounded portion lying inwardly and forming a core around the middle portion of the block. In practice this frame occupies a middle position in the core-box 3. The necessary amount of grouting is first placed in the mold-box, and

l.henjthe i`rame (shown in Fig. 7) is placed in position within the mold, and the remaining portion of the mold is lilled with grouting to a point where the facing material is placed in position. The core-frame is removed aiter the block has been elevated upon the pallet L above the mold. This removal o'r` the moldblocl from the mold-box is enabled by a suliicicnt turn of the pinion-lever 11. lt may be stated here that in molding` two buildingblocls at one time by means ol the partition or division plate 3 a tamping` face-plate la is used which has two face impressions thereon instead of one in order that the two separate face impressions may be giventhe 'face olI the building-block. 'lhe face-plate in this ease has a groove 14, Fig. 6, to straddle the edge of wall 3. In molding` a hollow block the core 2i-1 (shown in Fig. 8) is employed. 'lhis core is of suiiicient dimensions to allow a snitalole amount of the material to enter around the sides of said core. As shown, the core is provided with open spaces 25 in the lower portion thereof, extending from which is an opening 26, of smaller diameter and opening through the top of the core. lVithin this space or opening 26 is placed a metallic handle 27, the lower` ends of which extend into the larger openings 25 and are litted with heads or nuts 28, which act to prevent the handle 27 from pulling' ont oi the core when said handle is grasped by the haml in removing the core Jfrom the block. lt is highly desirable that the handle 27 engage the lower portion of the core in lifting said core from the block, for the reason that if the engagement between the handle and the core be ata higher point in the core there will be great 'danger of the molded block being` damaged in the removal of the core. The upper portion of the handle'i' is accessible to the hand, owing to the top of the core being recessed out. The pallet L1 is held up with the molded block thereon in a position for the removal of said block byadog Q9, which enters a notch 3d in the lower end or' the standard The tamping or face plate 14 is maintained in a true position to the mold, and each impact of said face-plate is identically in the same position.

Having described my invention, l claim-- 1. In aconcrete-block machine, a mold-box, a face-plate for tamping the face-surface oi the block, rods attached to the rear side of said face-plate and supported in guide-sockets in the rear of the mold-box, a transverse bar to which the. lower ends of said rods are connected, and retaining devices below the moldbox and cooperating with said transverse bar to hold the face-plate in an elevated position.

2. In a concrete-block machine, a mold-box having interior end plates with reversible working sides` a face-plate for tamping the face-surface of the block, handles attached to said face-plate. rods to the upper ends of which the face-plate is attached, guide-lugs on the IOO llO

rear of the mold-box through which said rods.

project, a cross-bar connecting the lower ends of said bars and lying parallel with the mold- Y standard upon which said pallet is supported,

said standard having a rack attached to one side thereof, a handled pinion engaging said vrack whereby the pallet is raised and lowered,

means engaging the lower portion of the standard to hold the pallet in its elevated position, a face-plate for tamping the surface of the block-rods upon the upper portion of which said face-plate is supported, a transverse bar to which said rods at the lower ends are attached, and a latch mounted below the mold-box and engaging said bar to hold the tamping-plate in its elevated position.

4l. In a concrete-block machine, a core for forming 'a'hollow block, said core having vertical openings 26 joined at the upper surface of the core by a horizontal channel which is exposed at the surface of the core, the lower portions of said openings terminating in enlarged openings 25 and forming shoulders, a

bail or handle 27 projected through said openings 26, and the loweiuends of said bail or handle lying withinthe openings 25, heads on said lower ends engaging with the shoulders formed by said openings 25 whereby the bail or handle 2'7 is caused to engage the c ore at points in the lower portion of said core, substa'ntially as and for the purposes specified.

5'. In a concrete-block machine, arnold-box, a movable pallet-frame, the bottom of said core-box, a face-plate constituting the tamping-plate, rods to the upper ends, of which said face-plate is rigidlj7 attached, a cross-bar attached to the lower ends of said rods, said cross-bar lying parallel with the mold-box and therebelow, a latch lying transversely of the mold-box and therebelow and engaging with said cross-bar to hold the tamping-plate in its elevated position, a spring attached to said tamping-plate and serving to facilitate the tamping operations thereof.l and an arm projected from the rear side of the mold-box and to which said spring is attached, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM S. BAKKER. Witnesses:

R. J. MCCARTY,

C. M. THEOBALD. 

